in every universe, i'm yours
by im.just.better.fictionally
Summary: This is an AU where Elizabeth and Henry meet after she is Secretary of State. It starts during season 1 episode 5.
1. lots of love, from canada

**in every universe, i'm yours.**

Neither my characters nor my show.

xx

Elizabeth Adams loved being Secretary of State - really, she did. For a woman who retired from the CIA nearly a decade ago to a life of horse farms and teaching, it was an unexpected but truly wonderful gift.

There were just small moments where all she wanted was a minute to catch her breath. Small, practically non-existent moments between feeling grateful and humbled where she remembered that she was a single parent working 90 hour weeks and how _tired_ she was.

Right now she was experiencing one of those moments.

Her daughter seemed eternally mad at her and had quit college.

Her son had once again gotten in trouble at his new school.

And now she had some meeting with a DIA agent regarding the peace talks in Iran. Peace talks that if she didn't make progress on this week with this Dr. McCord, were going to be off the table in a permanent kind of way.

So, really, surely it was reasonable this was one of those days that held a small moment of defeat for the Secretary of State.

She was pulled out of her reverie by the telltale knock of her assistant Blake, who bustled into her office holding out a pastry and coffee for her, with a very handsome man loitering behind.

"Ma'am, this is Dr. McCord," Blake informed her, placing the coffee and danish on the table in front of her before gliding out of the room.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Madam Secretary," Henry said, offering her his hand.

She immediately took it before asking him to take a seat. "Thank you. Why don't you take a seat Dr. McCord."

"Please, call me Henry, Ma'am," he replied, a brilliant smile spreading across his face.

"Well _Henry,_ I hear you have been working on the Middle East peace talks."

"Yes, I have been. I mean I've just been going over profiles searching for motive and levers and all that negotiating good stuff," he said, pulling his glasses off and putting them into his breast pocket.

"Well, then how about you tell me what you've noticed. I assume this meeting is more than just telling me what you have _not_ been successful at," she asked.

"Of course, but before I say anything I don't want you to think I'm trying to bad mouth the Chief Negotiator. I just want to be completely honest."

"Please, feel free. This is an open space and I need to know _everything,"_ she assured him. Henry seemed like a smart and reasonable man who could give her a fair version of what had been happening with the talks. Because although she of course knew all of the on paper information, this was a task that had originally been undertaken by Marsh and she had yet to get a feel for the negotiation room.

"Well, in that case I will say that Allen Ballings is an absolute blowhard who does not seem to actually be paying attention to the Iranian representatives," Henry accused, causing a smile to grace the Secretary's face. "Either he's not up to the job or he doesn't truly want this to succeed?"

"Want to give me an example of something that he has missed, Dr. McCord?" Elizabeth challenged. It was time to see just how intelligent this NSA agent really was.

"Their former UN Ambassador has just joined the talks."

"Javani."

"Yes, there are talks that he used his time at the UN well, taking advantage of the fact that it's the one place he's legally allowed to talk to Americans on American soil-"

"And he is rumored to be the next Foreign Minister. I know all this."

"He's your guy. Take him aside and repeat the offer. I bet you anything that he has the President's ear and that he is the one who can push for the deal."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Mixture of things really – his western education, his work during his time at the UN, other pieces of intelligence that I've been reading over. I've looked at him thoroughly and although I'm not near the analyst that you are I do think that I'm correct."

"I think you are, too," Elizabeth replied, smiling back at him. "And thank you."

She wanted to keep talking to him, had an overwhelming urge to keep him in her office and talk to him - but she couldn't. She had meetings and she didn't actually know the man.

"I'm sure you are very busy, Ma'am, so I'll let you go but here is my card if you need me at all," Henry told her as he slid across the desk a card with the Georgetown University logo embossed in the corner.

"You're a professor too? I mean that's what I was doing before I became Secretary," she told him.

"Yeah, I'm a religion and ethics professor," he told her as he picked up his briefcase and headed for the door.

"Goodbye Dr. McCord. I'll talk to you soon no doubt," she said. "You know – about the talks." _God,_ she thought, could she be more awkward to a virtual stranger?

"I'm sure that we will. Goodbye Ma'am." And with that final comment Dr. McCord left her office.

/ / / / / / /

By the time she got home it was close to midnight, and Elizabeth had spent most of the day reading and investigating what turned out to be a falsified report and was justifiably in a souring mood. Not to mention how the President had chewed her out, she had been forced to deal with _idiots_ and she now had serious suspicions regarding Marsh and Nadine. So when she got home already tired from the long day and Stevie had made some comment about not feeling very _appreciated,_ the Secretary almost understandably snapped.

"You think I don't _appreciate_ you enough?" Elizabeth asked, her voice almost calm and devoid of feeling. "Well, then let me _appreciate_ the way you eat my food, live in my house and do not much of anything else."

Elizabeth regretted the comment as soon as it came out of her mouth. She was tired and stressed and for the past month had been running on nothing but cheap caffeine and adrenaline.

"Because I'm nothing but a college drop out right?" her daughter pressed. "That's what you think of when you talk to me? I got a job and I keep this house running but all you see when you look at me is a college dropout – a failure."

"I _never_ called you a failure," Elizabeth argued back - and she didn't. Don't misunderstand – she wasn't happy with the situation. What mother would be when their oldest child comes home telling her they had dropped out of school, but never had she referred to her daughter as a failure.

"You didn't need to, Mom," her daughter told her. "It's in everything you do."

Elizabeth wanted to say something – anything to defend herself or to make her clearly hurt daughter feel better but before she got the chance Stevie was already picking up her jacket and making a beeline for the nearest exit.

"Where are you going, Stevie? Stay here and let's talk this out," Elizabeth tried to reason. She was so tired that her bones ached. All she wanted was a hot shower and her bed; not to be once again in a fight with Stevie. It seemed that all they did these days were fight and bicker. They had always gotten along so well and Elizabeth sorely missed those days. She knew this particular fight was her own fault, but she couldn't seem to keep her mouth shut.

"I just need to not be here, Mom. I'm going to a friend's and I'll talk to you later."

Elizabeth, against all motherly instincts, let her daughter go. afraid that forcing her to stay would only make the situation worse. And too tired for even a glass of wine Elizabeth made her way upstairs to bed, knowing that in order to deal with both the domestic and foreign problems in her life she was going to need a good night's sleep.

Not that she was going to be getting it, she thought as she walked past her son's room. She could hear him sleeping away and she hoped that at some point that night his sister would join him but Elizabeth seriously doubted it. Why was everything in her life such a mess?

/ / / / / / /

Blake walked into the Secretary's office to an unnerving sight. Elizabeth was lying upside down on the couch, shoes off, reading yet another report. She looked tired, annoyed and most of all like she had been stuck inside her office for an hour too long. He decided to break the moment when he heard an increasingly loud sigh of disapproval.

"Ma'am, may I suggest that you take a break?" Blake asked, his voice laced with concern. He had known the Secretary for so long now that their professional relations had blended into almost a personal one. He had admired her during his time as her TA at the University of Virginia and nothing had made him more proud than to embark on this Secretary of State journey with her. Of course this relationship often meant that he was the one to make sure she was eating, sleeping and returning home whenever possible – a job that was not made easy thanks to the stubborn streak that ran strong through the veins of Elizabeth Adams.

"Nah, I'm good. I need to finish reading this report before my meeting with the President," Elizabeth argued, turning another page of the report.

"No offence, Ma'am, but that was not so much a request as, well, the closest thing I can give you to an order," Blake amended nervously. He so often just went with whatever the Secretary wanted that whenever he pushed her it put him on edge and really made her reevaluate her situation.

"Well, while technically you can't give me anything that even sounds vaguely like an order, I will take your concern on board and go for a coffee at that place that I like," Elizabeth agreed, standing up from the couch and stretching her body. "I shouldn't be any longer than a half hour," she said, as Blake handed her a coat and bag.

"Take your time, Ma'am," Blake encouraged as he motivated her toward the elevator. "We don't have any meetings for the next two hours and that report will still be here when you return."

"Yes, yes it will," Elizabeth muttered as she walked away from her office. The report was the same one that she had been dealing with the day before regarding Canada and the pipeline. She was trying to see if there was any small part of it that was at all salvageable but at hour three she seriously doubted it. There was almost nothing Elizabeth hated more than people who were motivated by pure self-interest and that was exactly the kind of people that wrote, requested and submitted that report.

It was not helping her stress levels that she was now seriously concerned about the public vs. private agenda of the former Secretary. It was becoming more and more obvious that he was not as well-liked amongst the Washington crowd as it was purported in the news, making the advice George had heeded her more and more worrying the more she found out.

As she entered the coffee shop she decided to try to take a break from thinking about her job, as impossible as that sounded. All she wanted was ten minutes to drink a cup of coffee in peace – or as much peace as she could get when surrounded by the circus that was the Diplomatic Security. Not that she didn't appreciate them or their work because she certainly did. She knew that their sole purpose in her life was to keep her safe and make sure that her kids didn't lose their mother but it also meant that just doing the smallest things, such as going out to get a coffee turned into a three-ring circus. She was broken out of her reverie by a familiar voice calling her name. "Madam Secretary."

It was Dr. McCord, the very intelligent and very handsome NSA agent who she had been working with on the Middle East peace talks. "It's lovely to see you again, Dr. McCord."

"Please, I told you to call me Henry. Especially while I'm not in the office," he told her as they both waited in line for coffee. "Would you like to join me for a coffee, Ma'am? I understand if you are too busy but I thought I'd put the offer out there."

As he asked Elizabeth couldn't help but notice just how lovely his smile was. She never dated, even before being Secretary, and she knew that with this man she had to work with, it was hardly professional, but she was so tired and so stressed that the idea of having a coffee with a handsome man seemed to be the nicest idea in the world. "Yes, Henry, that would be lovely."

They grabbed their coffee from the lady and made their way to a nearby table. She tried to pick one that would make her DS agents the least nervous but she could feel their annoyance as she sat down. She knew it spoke volumes of her stress levels but reveled a little in the feeling of once again annoying Frank.

"How have you been since our meeting, Secretary Adams?" Henry enquired. He didn't know why he was so forward with her as to ask her for coffee. She was just the most beautiful woman that he had seen in such a long time, not to mention smart and funny, and he felt himself ask her before his mind had even caught up to what his mouth was doing.

"I've been alright. Going over the things you told me, preventing war with Canada, doing my best to make my children hate me,'" she joked. "So just the usual story in the lives of the Adams family."

"Still, other than the stress of it all, I'm sure spending some time with your children was nice," he proposed. "What have you got?"

"A college daughter and a thirteen-year-old son. Well – kind of a college daughter. It's a bit of a longer story. What about you? Any children yourself, Dr. McCord?" Elizabeth asked trying to take the spotlight off her own children. It was just making her think about the disastrous fight she had just had with Stevie which was doing nothing to alleviate her anxiety levels.

"I share with you the joys of a daughter. Allison is fifteen so we are deep in the trauma of the teenage years," he joked before getting serious. "Not that she isn't an absolute delight because she is. I lost her mother during childbirth so it's just been me and Allie for so long now."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Henry," Elizabeth told him. And she _was,_ even if for some reason that she was really not willing to think about today, a relief that he was clearly single. He was talking about his dead wife – potentiality for a future date should be the furthest thing from her mind.

"No, don't be," he assured her. "It's not too bad. I mean it's not ideal. I wish that she could have a mother and that her mother could see just how perfect she is but it was fifteen years ago so I've done my grieving, Ma'am."

God, he was so perfect. He was clearly a loving and devoted father if he too was doing it alone. She could tell that much by the look in his eye when he even briefly talked about his daughter. She wished that she could think about pursuing something with this man, even something as simple as a second coffee but she did not have the time or space in her life for a boyfriend. She had one of the most demanding jobs in the country and when she wasn't in the office she was trying to make sure her kids remembered that she existed.

"Please Henry, when we aren't at the office call me Elizabeth." She knew this was a mistake, and that she should create clear professional boundaries with Henry. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn't help but feel a pull for the man currently sitting in front of her.

"It would be a pleasure," he told her smiling a wide and kind grin that went all the way to his eyes. "So, what's the longer story about your daughter?"

"Oh, it's not much really. She was a college student but she… dropped out a few weeks ago," Elizabeth revealed to him, her eyes staring straight down into her coffee. "It's a bit of a sore topic between the two of us recently. I want her to go back and pursue an education and she… well she doesn't seem to want that right now.

"I can understand that it would be difficult. I've yet to go down the college road with Allie," he told her kindly. "I'm sure she'll come around eventually. You haven't been in the public eye for very long though. Maybe she just needs to get use to one thing at a time."

"That might be it," Elizabeth considered. "Truth is, last night we got into a pretty hefty fight about it. I was tired and inconsiderate and she thought that I've been treating her like a failure since her return."

"Well, it's not an easy thing on any family, let alone one that the press would sure love to hound," he assured her. "I usually just… well I don't know what I usually do. Allison is usually _too_ well behaved but maybe just talk to your daughter. She clearly can't be telling you everything – no one just randomly drops out of college. As an ex-professor you'd know that."

"I do, I do know that and you are right. I've given her space and time to come to me, maybe now is the time for me to push her," Elizabeth said, feeling more at ease than she had in days. "Stevie is so stubborn and can be so hard to reach sometimes. My parents died when I was younger so I've never really had anyone to guide me through this whole teenage daughter thing."

"Well, at least you _were_ a teenage girl," Henry told her. "I'm just flying blind with Allison. I mean I could ask her aunt but I don't exactly need a second Maureen in the family."

Elizabeth was about to respond – to share in the angst of having a difficult sibling when Agent Cole came up to her and reminded her of the time. She had been sitting there with Henry for forty five minutes!

"I'm so sorry, Henry," Elizabeth said, leaping up from her seat and almost knocking over the table. "I was really having a lovely time but I _have_ to go. My coffee break was not supposed to be this long."

"Really, it's no problem, Elizabeth," Henry assured her. "It was lovely just to be able to have this chat with you."

"The pleasure was all mine," Elizabeth told him. "And thank you for your advice about Stevie. Your daughter is lucky to have you." And with that last sentence and a final wave, Diplomatic Security swept the Secretary of State out of the coffee shop and toward the Department of State.

/ / / / / / / / /

By the time she had gotten back to her office after talking to the President it had become clear that she would be working through most of the evening.

It was a good night for her work to keep her behind as Jason was at his friend's house and Stevie seemed like she still wasn't talking to her mother. It was a situation that Elizabeth desperately wanted to fix.

She didn't like fighting with her kids. It was just the three of them and therefore when any of them were mad at another it was felt throughout the whole house. Never really before though had one of her children left the house in anger. It felt like just yesterday that both of her children were much too young to do anything other than slam their bedroom door and blast their music. Elizabeth was finding out that there was nothing she hated more than having a child away from home whilst being mad at her.

She decided she needed to fix it and she needed to take action to do that today. Elizabeth sent off a quick text to her daughter:

 _Stevie, come by the office for dinner. Jason is at a friend's place tonight and I really want to fix this x_

It took twenty minutes but she eventually she got the reply that she had desperately been hoping for.

 _Fine. I'll bring that stuff from that Thai place you like. See you in 30._

By the time Stevie arrived Elizabeth was chock full of nerves. The two of them fighting was not new but Stevie leaving the house before the fight was settled definitely was and it was not something that Elizabeth had enjoyed.

She loved her children more than anything in the world and wanted nothing more than for them to be happy and well-rounded adults. It was partly why she had accepted the position as Secretary of State – she had wanted to begin to build a world where her son and daughter would no longer live under the threat of nuclear war.

Stevie and Elizabeth were much alike but recently with everything that had changed in both of their lives it seemed like they had forgotten how to communicate. She knew that they needed to work on changing that and she wanted to begin that today making her nerves highly charged.

"So, I'm here and I have the requested food," Stevie said as she entered her mother's office.

"You could sound more pleased to be here, Stephanie," Elizabeth noted, garnering an eye roll form her oldest child. "I do love you, Stevie."

"Then you have a funny way of showing it to me," Stevie argued.

"I know, baby, and I should not have talked to you with any sort of tone or referred to you as a college dropout but to be fair… you haven't really talked to me about _why_ you left Lovell. I assume it's not just their need aware policy but how would I know?" Elizabeth said, exasperated. She had a very intelligent, kind and thoughtful daughter but she was not someone who opened up very often – even to her mother.

"I- I just… it's complex, Mom."

"Then explain it to me, baby," Elizabeth pleaded. "I thought you were so happy there and then all of a sudden you were in my foyer telling me you'd quit college and that was that."

Stevie went quiet as she played with her food avoiding her mother's gaze. She didn't know how to explain to her Mom that while she had been helping to save the world her daughter had basically been on display at university. That she had no friends anymore that she could trust weren't there for the wrong reasons. That she was tired of being at college and trying to live up to her mother who cast a long shadow of achievements over her.

"Mom, I," Stevie said before going silent again. "All I was in college was the daughter of Secretary of State Elizabeth Adams. Ever since you took that job people who hated me have wanted to be my friends and people who were my friends wanted to be better friends. They take more notice and whisper about me and some students hate me because of Uncle – sorry _President_ Dalton's policies."

The room went silent again as Elizabeth tried to take in everything her daughter had said.

That was the very, very last thing she wanted for either one of her children. As much as she wanted to be a role model for her daughter and to prove that women can do anything she never wanted to set an impossible bar for her daughter to clear. Nor did she want this job to take away the privacy that she raised her daughter to cherish. The idea that her job, this dream job, had such negative effects on her daughter's life broke her heart.

"Sweetheart, why would you not tell me this?"

"Because you're busy saving the world," Stevie said, her voice beginning to crack. "What kind of selfish idiot does it make me if I get sad because people know who my extremely intelligent and powerful mother is? And it's not even that they know who you are – it's the way they treat _me_ because of that."

"First of all, you have never been selfish and you have never been an idiot. _And_ in the future I want you to tell me these things," Elizabeth assured her. "That being said _eventually_ you are going to go back to college. Maybe not now and maybe not in the next six months but eventually I want you to get an education."

"I know," Stevie said. "But I just can't right now." She _did_ want to go back eventually but she had seriously underestimated just how hard college would be. It wasn't the academics that she had struggled with, like her mum said she was a smart and intelligent girl, but she found it hard to be away from home. She had been raised in a small and single parent home where her mother and her brother were everything and although she was glad to move off their small horse farm in their small town, moving away from the only family she had turned out to be a daunting and unwelcome task.

"And I really, truly get that, baby," Elizabeth said before asking, "So, fight over?"

"Fight over."

"Oh, thank god. I do not enjoy arguing like that with you," Elizabeth revealed as a weight lifted off her shoulders. There was nothing in this world she hated more than fighting with her children. With that she took another bite of her lovely dinner and moved on to other topics of conversation with her daughter.

/ / / / / / / / /

It wasn't until the day before the ball that Elizabeth finally found the time in her busy schedule to call Henry regarding her plan to get the peace talks back on Iran's agenda. She had taken his advice and formed a plan for the President to sign off on and it she thought that it was only fair that she include him - it was _his_ intel that might have saved this entire peace deal.

Not that the passing days had really mattered. She was a grown woman who was perfectly capable of not talking to a man, even one that had captured her attention as much as Dr. McCord. In fact _because_ of the way that he had started to break down her walls there was even more reason to delay contacting him.

However, despite the inner neuroses of Elizabeth Adams she really did actually need Henry to be at the party that Canada was throwing for her to make sure that everything went to plan so she really did need to call him.

And really, his lovely velvet voice had nothing to do with how quick her fingers dialed his number when they had been given the chance.

"Madam Secretary," he said as he answered the phone, "It's nice to hear from you again, what can I do to serve?"

"Dr. McCord, I just wanted to extend an invitation for a party on Friday. It's being thrown in my honor by Canada," she told him. "I usually hate these things but I'm going to finally get the peace talks back on track there. We'll finally be off American soil so I can speak to Minister Javani. "

"I serve at your pleasure Ma'am _,_ of course I'll be there."

She stayed silent for a moment, not wanting to end the phone call. She had so much to thank this man for in the short time that she had known him. Mainly for giving her the tools to really begin to mend her relationship with her daughter.

"I'm really pleased to hear that," she revealed. "You were so much help when it came to Intel that your support would be very much appreciated on Friday."

"Oh, there is absolutely no need to thank me. It's all part of the job," he assured her.

"Great," she said gratefully, "Well, my assistant Blake will forward you all the details."

"I look forward to it." The line went quiet for another fifteen seconds before Henry broke the silence. "Was there anything else, Ma'am?"

"Oh, umm yes actually. I spoke to my daughter following our conversation and I just wanted to thank you," Elizabeth said quickly. She had wanted to thank him, felt the need to do it in her bones but she couldn't enjoy it. It felt too unprofessional to say during a work call.

"You sound like a loving mother, Elizabeth. You would have done exactly what I suggested without my pushing eventually but I'm glad to have been able to help it along," Henry told her. God, the way he said her voice made a shiver run down her spine. It was completely unfair – she was meant to be working with this man, not developing a silly schoolgirl crush on him.

"Either way," Elizabeth began. "I'm glad that I could get your wise counsel."

"Like I said Ma'am, I serve at your pleasure."

Elizabeth smiled to herself as she once again thanked Henry before exchanging final pleasantries with him and hanging up the phone.

/ / / / / / / / /

It was 6pm on Friday and Elizabeth was running _very_ late. Then again, these days it seemed like she was always running late for something. It appeared to go hand in hand with being a single mother and Secretary of State. Someone always wanted more time with her than she could give. Tonight, the threat to her work-family balance was the Canadian party being thrown in her honor.

"Stevie? Jase?" she called out and she rushed down the stairs, happily greeted by the smells of someone, most likely her daughter, cooking dinner.

"In the kitchen, Mom."

She finally made it down the final step to the sight of her family. Her son at the kitchen table, presumably doing his homework, and her daughter pouring different spices into a boiling pot. Elizabeth didn't know where her offspring got her cooking skills, except that it definitely was not from her.

"What's on the menu?" Elizabeth asked.

"Chicken chilli tonight," Stevie replied, handing her mother a small glass of wine. "I will leave you some to eat when you get home."

"God, I love you. You are, without a doubt, my favourite daughter."

"I bet you say that to all your daughters," Stevie retorted as she turned off the stove. Elizabeth passed her the plates and they began to serve up dinner.

"But I only mean it with you," Elizabeth promised. "Now, quickly tell me all about your day. I have about five minutes to finish this wine and catch up on your busy lives before I need to head to this event."

"Well, I got given yet another bogus assignment but what else can be expected from an organization whose sole intent is to stop their students from being free thinkers," her son complained, earning an eye roll from his mother. Truly, the anarchist of the family.

"Well, I just cleaned and cooked, how was your day, Mom?" Stevie asked. "You know with us being on the verge of multiple wars, one nuclear?"

"We are _not_ on the verge of a nuclear war. Henry and I are working very hard to made this peace deal go through," Elizabeth assured them. "And _Canada?_ We'd blow them right out of the water."

"Who's _Henry?_ " Stevie asked with a wink.

"Just someone I'm working with on the Middle East peace talks," Elizabeth responded, a pink blush rising to her cheeks.

"Sure, sure Mama," her daughter commented, "we can all see you blushing. Is he handsome?"

"I'm his boss, the Secretary of State and I don't date so it hardly matters, does it?" Elizabeth responded, polishing off her glass of wine, unable to look her children in the eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes." And with that Elizabeth didn't get a chance to respond as she got yet another text requesting her ETA, requiring her to give her kids a quick kiss goodbye and rush out the door.

/ / / / / / /

When he saw her at the party, his heart stopped.

She was in a long, sleeveless blue dress and he didn't think he had _ever_ seen _anyone_ as beautiful.

He knew that he shouldn't be having those thoughts, that she was the Secretary of State and it was completely inappropriate but it was really unavoidable.

Ever since her hand touched his, the thoughts running through his mind had been anything but professional.

She was pretty and she was smart and he wished he'd met her just a year sooner.

But Henry couldn't help but remember how she'd asked him to call her Elizabeth, that she had talked to him more than was professionally required. He couldn't help but feel that maybe this infatuation he had with her may be double sided.

He didn't know what it meant even if it was requited. She was still a public figure and seemingly a private one at that but he wanted to try. He wanted to push just a little in the hope that he wouldn't just be shoved away.

He waited until near the end of the evening as to let her take care of any of the official business that she needed too. But when the room started to thin out a little and when he felt like he could wait no longer he made his way over to her, brushing past her security detail.

"Madam Secretary," he said, pulling her slightly on the arm. "Would you like to get some air on the patio with me?" He noticed the patio earlier and it appeared to him to be somewhere slightly more private where they could talk more openly and freely.

"That would be lovely," she replied, a beautiful but shy smile gracing her face.

He placed her hand on top of his own and accompanied her to the door. Her security went to follow them but at her wave off, they stepped back to wait for her by the patio entrance door.

"I'm glad it all worked out tonight," Henry told her quietly. "My daughter will be mightily relieved."

"Allison, right?" she asked, a large smile covering her face.

"Yes, Allison May McCord," he told her. "She's a sweet girl, just one that worries too much. Ever since she was little and realized that she only had one parent where most had two, she has been afraid of something happening to me."

"It must be difficult at times," Elizabeth said as she reached out for his hand seemingly without realizing it. "He's completely uninvolved and a _complete jackass_ but at least if worst came to worst Stevie and Jason's father is still alive."

Elizabeth stared off into the distance regretting bringing up her ex-husband. He was not part of her present nor would he play a part in her future. She was taken out of her thoughts by the cool wind that hit the balcony.

"It's alright. It was obviously really difficult at the time but like I said the other day _I've moved on_ ," he told her, gripping her hand a little tighter. "What about you? How did that argument with your daughter go?"

She gave a small chuckle before replying. "It's fine now. We had a good chat and understand each other a lot more now."

"That's good to hear," he told her and the thing that struck Elizabeth most was just how genuine he sounded. She had opened up to him during a weak moment in a coffee shop and he had _cared._ "So, tell me about your son?"

"Well unlike Allison and her more legitimate worries, Jason is more vexed about the corrupt Establishment than anything else."

"So you have a revolutionary in the family?" he said, noticing once again just how much she lit up when she talked about her children.

"Well, I think he would use the term anarchist rather than revolutionary but basically," she told him. "Sometimes I'm not sure if he respects my work or if he just respects me _despite_ the work."

"Well, maybe it's a little of both. Without government institutions what would the Anarchist have to anarchy about," he joked, causing the blonde to throw her head back and laugh.

"That is a lovely way to think about it," she agreed, throwing her head back as she chuckled. "Thank you, Henry."

The way she thanked him, her voice low and gravelly, made him turn to face her. The look in her eyes, of pure want and desire, made his heart stop for the second time that night. He wanted nothing more than to push her against the railing, kissing her until she begged for more.

He thought that he just might do it when she beat him to the punch. She leant up and he thought he knew what was going to happen just a millisecond before it did. He could imagine the softness of her lips and the way her arms would feel wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. Just the thought of a kiss with the delectable blonde standing an inch from him almost did him in before, with a panicked look in her eyes, Elizabeth backed off.

"Elizabeth?" he asked, his eyed closed as is body recovered from what almost was. She didn't reply but rather instead picked up her purse and took off, rushing inside to the safe bubble of her security team whilst leaving behind a stunned Henry.

 **So, let me know what you think and I will begin working on the next chapter.**


	2. at some point i'll open my eyes a little

**Not mine.**

 **Chapter 2.**

 _ **At some point, I'll open my eyes a little wider.**_

It was only when Elizabeth was able to get into the back of her SUV that she felt like she could finally breathe.

Her chest was tight and her face felt hot and she just felt entirely too uncomfortable in her own skin.

She had almost kissed Henry.

Like really, really _almost_ kissed him and she couldn't.

There were too many risks in starting a relationship no matter how much she might have liked him. As her agents drove her home she repeated to herself all the complications that would ensue if she were to start a relationship.

That she is a single parent already with a demanding job and she just doesn't have time.

That she already hated the publicity and articles in magazines that were about nothing, let alone if she gave the presses a new relationship to follow.

That she needed to be taken seriously by world leaders and how would she do that when she was traipsing all over town, making out with her boyfriend.

That her job was dangerous at times and how was that fair to Henry?

Stevie had already suffered enough because of her job, she could not ask her daughter to give up anymore of her privacy or time with her only parent. What kind of mother would that make Elizabeth?

Even so, she really, _really_ liked Henry. He was handsome and smart and kind _._ He had talked about his own daughter with such love in his eyes that it made Elizabeth heart skip a beat. Her kids had such a lack of paternal care for so long that it had been such a nice change to see it in a man.

But it wasn't enough of a reason to tear her kids lives apart again. She had already made them move, change school and leave behind friends. It would be cruel of her to then bring into their lives just some man.

By the time her car had pulled in front of her Georgetown home, Elizabeth was resolute. Her relationship with Henry, if that what it could be called, was not going to be continuing any further. She wasn't an idiot – she was sure that she would see him again. After all, Washington was a small place and he was an intelligent DIA officer but she would try to avoid looks of impropriety.

She walked into her house, hoping to be alone, when Stevie skipped down the stairs.

"Hey Mom, you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"It's just that you look a little pale. Are you _sure_ you're alright?" Stevie pushed.

"Really Stephanie!" Elizabeth said exasperated. When her daughter recoiled Elizabeth took a deep breath before she apologized. "I'm sorry baby. It's just been a long night and I'm really tired. Do you know where Jason is?"

"He's just in bed," Stevie muttered quietly.

"Alright, I'm just going to say good night and then head to bed myself," Elizabeth told her. "I really am sorry for snapping Stevie. I just really need some sleep. Turns out solving nuclear war really takes it out of a gal."

"Of course," Stevie agreed still not completely sold on the welfare of her mother.

Elizabeth knew she needed to get a hold of herself. She couldn't snap at her children just because she couldn't date the boy that she liked – how high school could she get. What she really needed was exactly what she had described to Stevie, a good night sleep. Then when she got up it would be the weekend and she could hide out in her house with her kids.

Then on Monday she could head into her office and really throw herself into her work, having forgotten her troubles and with hopefully a few nights rest. She made a beeline for her son's room hoping to get the chance to say a quick goodnight before retiring herself. Unfortunately however, when she got to his room she found Jason already fast asleep. There seemed to be no area in her life that she could succeed in. What kind of mother would _once again_ get home long after her young child had gone to bed?

Disappointed in yet another aspect in her life she made her way to bed but unsurprisingly it would be many hours until her restless mind would give way to sleep.

* * *

God, Elizabeth was tired.

It was 11am on Tuesday and as she had predicted before the weekend had even really started, sleep was not something she had enjoyed in the past few evenings. She has tossed and turned all night each night since Friday. With the almost kiss playing through her mind along side every different situations and possibilities. None of them made her feel any more confident in pursuing a relationship with Henry.

Which was… unfortunate. And therefore she could only hope that the feelings that had started grow in her heart for him would soon stop and the hold he seemed to have over her, even after just a short time of knowing one another, would relinquish. It seemed to be her only hope.

She made her way into work almost as soon as she woke up. She knew that Stevie would take Jason to school and she reasoned with herself that the sooner she made it into the office and started her workday then the sooner she could return to her home. It had seemed like the whole previous week she had spent no time at all with her children, and as much as she was feeling tired and angry at her own romantic situation, she knew that they deserved as much attention as she could afford them.

She tried to shake the thoughts of Henry and focus back on her work. Not that work was helping her to feel any less stressed. Lately she had been feeling increasingly panicked about the warning that George had given her right before his death.

 _Vincent Marsh's plane crash was not an accident._

 _I have reason to believe that someone inside had it arranged._

 _Be careful Bess._

The words had haunted Elizabeth since the moment they had tumbled from George's mouth. She had wanted to pass of the accusations as the ramblings of an unhinged man but after he died – there was no way that George would ever die in an innocent one-car collision. They were trained better than that, him more than anyone.

The other options though, the unthinkable option, was more than Elizabeth could handle. The dangerous work that she had participated in during her CIA days was meant to be finished. She had given that up when her husband had left town and she'd been left to raise their two small children alone.

She never wanted them to live the sad existence she had when she lost both parents passed and despite the fact that they were now slightly older than her and her brother had been they were still much too young to be parentless. Or god forbid in Jason's case – back to living with their unwilling father.

The thought of something happening to her and leaving people behind was a fear that Elizabeth could never get over. It was the thing that made her back arch and her hair stand on end. It made her blood run cold and put fear in her step. Her parents passing had changed her irrevocably and forever.

It was why she had asked Blake to look into Nadine, the way that she had defended Marsh were closer to the ways of a lover than of an employee. And if she knew something and had not told Elizabeth then there would be hell to pay.

Elizabeth tried to go back to report she was meant to be studying but when she realized that it was hopeless, that her mind was already so full of what if's and she needed at least some of them satisfied, she called Blake in to her office.

"Ma'am what can I help you with?" Blake asked reading to get his boss anything that she might need. "I was going to get your lunch a little later as you have a meeting with the President at 2pm but I can get it now if you need? Or maybe just even a snack? The muffins here are meant to be _spectacular_."

God, she had forgotten all about that meeting. All she had wanted was yet another day locked in her office where she could work in peace. The White House, where Henry worked, was the last place she had wanted to go. "There's no chance we could cancel that meeting is there Blake?"

"Uh no Ma'am, I don't think so," Blake admitted. "Unfortunately, Oval Office trumps State Department."

"Thought so." Elizabeth furrowed her brow not happy with the direction her day had begun to go.

"If that was all Ma'am…"

"No, it wasn't. Please sit Blake. I want you to fill me in on how everything is going with Nadine."

Blake had feared that this was where the conversation was going to go. He revered the Secretary, loved her even but if there was one thing that he was terrible at it was lying and lately lying was all he had done in front of Nadine.

"There's not much to say Ma'am. As of yet I haven't found anything – of course I'm not even too sure what I'm meant to be looking for… not to mention that looks that the DS gives me _any_ time that I request something." Blake nervously played with the edges of his sweater before counting on. "I have gone through her emails and official diary. There is nothing suspicious there but honestly I think she's smarter than to leave evidence of something lying around like that. I'm halfway through her call log with the conclusion date aimed for Sunday."

"Thank you Blake," she said. "And I mean that. I know you hate this part of the job." He nodded his head and begun to make his way back to his desk. When he got to the door, he paused and turned around to face her.

"Ma'am, when I agreed to follow you here I promised to do anything you needed and to give you my complete loyalty. I meant that then and still mean that now."

And with that final comment Blake made his way back to office and Elizabeth felt a surge of happiness that she hadn't felt in days.

* * *

"Everything seems to be back on track with the Peace Talks, after that slight hiccup."

Elizabeth wants to challenge the President on his definition of small. Thanks to Allen Ballings the Middle East peace talks had been on the verge of collapse and would have quickly continued in that direction if it hadn't been for Henry and her. She knew, however that there was no telling that to Conrad or to Russell Jackson.

"Yes, sir," she assured him, for what felt like the fifth time in the last 15 minutes. "Gviani and I seem to have a handle on things for the meantime. But I will make sure to keep you in the loop with any forthcoming details. If there isn't anything else sir, than I really should get back to State and check in with my team on said talks."

"Of course, of course," Conrad told her, waiving her out. "Keep Jackson informed throughout the whole thing, would you Bess? I can't afford to have anything else spin out of control."

And with a nod of agreement, Elizabeth strode out of the Oval Office. She had tried her best to be in and out of there as quickly as possible and with what could not have been more than a fifteen minute meeting she had to have been successful. The last she had wanted was word to get out that the Secretary of State was in the White House. Usually, it was fine and she'd talk to the people that wanted just a minute of her time, much to the chagrin of her detail, but today just days after the almost kiss with Henry she did not want him to know that she was in his vicinity.

He had messaged her. Of course, he had messaged her. Well, he hadn't over messaged her and for that she was a least pleased. Any more texts gone unreplied to would just be seen as rude and as much as she knew that there could be no future for them, she didn't want him to think badly of her. She would reply, just as soon as she knew what she could possibly write to him that would convey all she wanted to say.

But of course, because nothing could be easy for one Elizabeth Adams, it was at that exact moment that Henry appeared out of his office.

"Elizabeth," he called out, his voice's warmth as comforting as she had remembered. She was pulled out of her thoughts about just how attracted she was to the DIA Agent by the touch of said man's arm on her own. "I was wondering if you had a minute."

"H-Henry, I'm really busy," she said as her arms did some sort of awkward half wave motion to the main exit trying to brush him off. "I have, you know, fires to put and diplomacy to spread and the tax payers certainly aren't hiring me to sit around chatting to you all day."

Well it was interesting to know that even if she could pull off smart and sophisticated in the company world leaders in front of one Henry McCord she dissolved into a puddle of awkwardness.

"Just one minute, Elizabeth," he assured her. "Please." She had never been one to have outright begging work on her but then again it had ever come from anyone any where near as attractive as Henry. How could he make her entire resolve just about crumble from a single look.

"Alright, Henry. Just a minute," she agreed following him back into his office. Fred, as per usual when it came to private matters, stayed close by but discreet. Henry's office was small but personal. He had a framed picture of a young brunette girl that she assumed was his daughter, Alison. "Well, you have 50 seconds left."

"I want to take you on a date," he told her without any preamble.

"That's going to have to be a hard no on my behalf," she replied as she looked at the ground. It was too difficult to both reject his advances and look him in the eyes simultaneously. "I can't date you Henry."

"I don't understand why on earth not?" he challenged.

"I c-can't- I can't go through all the reasons Henry. I just can't date you. I don't date anyone. This isn't you. It's all me. You can walk away from this without any cruel thoughts about your own character," she told him hoping that he would just leave it there. "I just can't take this any further and my behavior the other night was unforgivable."

"You can't just ignore what is happening between us Elizabeth," he told her.

"That's just the thing, there is nothing happening between us Dr. McCord."

"Yes there is Elizabeth. We almost kissed and there isn't a moment that goes by when I don't think of it. There is definitely something happening between us and I know that you feel it too. It's been a long time since I've felt this comfortable with another woman and I've met you less than a week ago. You have to give this a chance, Elizabeth," he pleaded. She understood him and she wanted nothing more than to throw her self into his arms forgetting the broader problems about her situation, but she knew she couldn't do that. Not to her children and not to her country. She had responsibilities and commitments and as much as she wished otherwise they weren't to him. "Please."

She knew that she was going to need to be blunt. That to cut this out permanently now was the only way they could both heal. "Look Henry, there is nothing going on between the two of us and I need you to stop saying otherwise. We had a professional relationship and that is all." She walked to the door ready to leave the kindest man she had met in a long while in her wake. "And please, in the company of other's is Madame Secretary."

And with that she was gone.

* * *

By the time she got back to her office, Elizabeth's mood had soured even more.

She hadn't wanted to do that. Never, ever in all of the past week wanted to chew up and spit out Henry as though he meant nothing to her. Because the worst part about this whole thing was that after just a few meeting he meant an awful lot her.

She had felt able to open up to him in a way that so far since her husband had left her she had be unable and unwilling to do. The only adults that she actually spoke to were old CIA buddies, her staff or her security team. None of which were options to talk to about the crush she was quickly amassing on a DIA agent.

So, with no one to talk about it to no avenue was available to her but to sweep it under the rug making her mood less and less of a pleasant one.

"Ma'am, I don't meant overstep but this seems unnecessary," Nadine commented. The Secretary had asked them to once again go over a report that she knew they had already read numerous times by the team.

"Well I'm the Secretary of State and I want it read again, so that must tell you that I don't think it's unnecessary," Elizabeth replied barely looking up from her desk.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I mean, it's not the first time that this office has said they've read a report only to have it blow up in my face later on," Elizabeth complained, this time looking each and every one of her employees in the eyes.

Intellectually Elizabeth knew that she wasn't being fair. She knew that her team was smart and capable and she was probably just giving them extra work they didn't needed for next to little or no improvement but it had been a rough week for the Secretary and emotionally she didn't care. So with that she gave her team one final look and gestured to the door.

She really just needed to actually get to work so she get home at a decent hour and actually get some sleep.

* * *

She still could not sleep.

All night the conversation she'd had with Henry earlier that day rolled over and over in her mind. The way that he looked at her, as though she had betrayed both of them, when she had callously told him to call her by her title made her stomach turn and her mind unable to shut off.

She had to do something to take her mind off of it. An hour was her personal limit for staring at the ceiling.

So when Stevie came downstairs and found her mother scrubbing the oven like it had personally offended her, Elizabeth's oldest was officially worried.

Although her mother was a tidy person, something that Elizabeth had always claimed made up for her inability to cook, the type of spring-cleaning that she was now partaking in hinted more toward extreme stress and anxiety on her mothers behalf then the perils of a dirty oven.

"What did the oven ever do to you?" Elizabeth jumped at the sound of her daughter's voice.

"It's dirty so I'm cleaning it," Elizabeth told her. "It doesn't seem fair to make you cook with it _and_ then clean it."

"And you are so welcome to clean it but I will remind you that the last time you took to cleaning like this was…"

"…was the afternoon I was offered Secretary of State," Elizabeth finished. "I know and I know you think this is more than it really is. It's just a dirty oven."

"So this doesn't have anything to do with this Henry?" Stevie asked as Elizabeth froze in shock. Her daughter was not meant to know anything about Henry. Surely the other night she hadn't spoken about him enough for her daughter to connect the dots.

"I'll take your silence as a yes."

"I don't know what you think you know Stephanie but there is not going on with myself and Dr. McCord." And as far as Elizabeth was concerned that was true. She had, with harsh words to the man she cared about, thoroughly ended things.

"Pulling out the official first name. You must really like the guy."

"What do you want me say, Stevie? Do you want me to tell you that I met a guy? Need me to tell you that really quite like him but can't possibly be with him? That even if I could be with him that I'd royally screwed it up anyway and he's now probably _happy_ that I'm out of his life personally? Is that what you want to hear?" Elizabeth was not sure where her tirade came from but she suspected it had to do with the lack of sleep and pent up frustrations.

"I'm- I'm sorry to have pushed Mom." And the thing is, Stevie seems to have meant the apology and that's what broke Elizabeth's heart. Her daughter hasn't met Henry, he hasn't even stepped a foot in her house and still her potential relationship with him has caused fissures and fractures in her familial relationships. "Why's the relationship unsalvageable?"

"It's not a relationship," Elizabeth corrects immediately. She got an eye roll for her comment but it's important to her that her daughter knew she hadn't been seeing some man and just not told her or her brother. She needed her children to know that they come first _always_. "Really Stevie, he's just a cute guy that I worked with once."

And as far as Elizabeth was willing to be concerned it was nothing more than that. She had chosen her job and her children over Henry and as much as the look in his eye when she told him hurt, there was really nothing more that she could do.

"Come one Mom. You lit up at dinner when you mentioned his name, you have been on edge all week – even Jason is worried that something is wrong. You didn't raise idiots. He's clearly more than just your average co-worker."

"I said he was cute didn't I?"

" _Mom."_

"Fine. I like him but I'm not tossing my life upside down for him and I told him that. There are reasons that I don't date Stevie. There are reasons that I try to keep our private life private, ok? I'm not about to throw all that away for some guy."

"You know that you can date right?" Stevie told her. "Like, I know it'd be messy with the press but Jason and I wouldn't care. I trust you not to date a complete prick."

"That means a lot baby," Elizabeth told her daughter. She is quite aware however that she had not comforted her daughter and tries to fix the situation in a way that would hopefully both take her mind of the situation with Henry and placate her staff. "How about this this Thursday we head to the farm for the weekend? No business, just pleasure. I'll keep my phone off and everything."

"Really?" Stevie asked, excited at the prospect of having her mother to herself. It was such a rarity these days to get an uninterrupted dinner so the promise of a long weekend in their former home sounded like the perfect remedy to what had been a stressful few months. "Are you sure that you can do that? Leave work early, I mean?"

"I'm sure that I can swing it. I don't have any major meetings this week and I'm sure after the last few days the office would understand," Elizabeth told her relishing the smile occupying her daughters face. "I'll go in tomorrow and stay as late an needed to get any possible paperwork done and then we'll leave lunchtime Thursday."

"That would be so nice, Mom," Stevie said, seemingly having forgotten what had made her talk to her mother in the first place much to Elizabeth's relief. "I'm going to go back to bed but I'll tell Jase tomorrow."

As her daughter made her way back to bed, Elizabeth sat down beside the kitchen and cursed herself for being so transparent in front of Stevie. Wanting to take mind off her troubles, Elizabeth went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of wine.

As she poured herself a glass she hoped that she'd forget about Henry soon enough and that this feeling lingering in the bottom of her stomach would fade soon.

* * *

Their so described calm and cozy weekend on the farm was far from advertised.

"Mom, I only agreed to come on this horse ride because I thought it would be the thing cheer you up?" Stevie complained as she pulled up her horse along side her mother's. "Especially seeing as movies were having no effect but pushing you further and further into your funk."

"I'm not sad. I don't need cheering up," her mother argued. "And for the record I have enough drama with Russia in my own life, did you really think watching The American's was going to put me at ease. They aren't even good spies. And that's coming from a reputable source as I was a _very_ _good_ spy."

"I'm going to ignore that last comment," Stevie said rolling her eyes. "And I'll instead remind you that walked in when you were getting dressed. I know that you are wearing your sad underwear Mom."

Because as much as her mother promised that the farm would fix everything, it certainly hadn't.

Not even her horse, her beloved Buttercup, the thing her mother treasured most was able to put a real smile on her face. She was still acting like the same stroppy, oven cleaning mess that she'd been for the past week.

"I'm at the farm. I always wear that stuff at the farm. That way I can save the red power underwear for world leaders when I really need the extra confidence."

Frankly Stevie had gotten to the point where she'd had enough. If her mother wasn't going to pull herself together than it would be up to her children to do it for her. "Mom, you are sad and I know it's because of this Henry guy and I know you think that you shouldn't date him but I think you are wrong. You're so torn up about him and yet you barely have spent any time with him. If this was me I'd be taking the shot."

"Baby, I thank you for that really but I am already spread so thin. I miss so many things of both yours and Jason's. Your father is non-existent and doesn't seem like he'll be around any time soon. You deserve to have more of my attention, not less. Bringing in Henry will just give you less time."

"Do I wish that I could have my Mom around more often? Sure. But do I want that at the expensive of an unhappy, half living Elizabeth Adams? Not a chance. You're a great mother and you've given me everything I've ever needed, especially as a single parent. This is something that I can do for you. Go and talk to Henry," Stevie implored urgently. After everything that her mother had for her, everything she had given up when their father walked out this was the least that Elizabeth Adams deserved.

"No, Stevie. I'm doing the honorable thing and I'm backing away."

Stephanie could hear how much her mother was torn up about this. Elizabeth wanted Henry; quite desperately it seemed but her single parent, selfless mothering habits were standing in her way.

Well, if the farm wasn't going to work and Buttercup wasn't going to work then there was nothing else left to discuss, Stevie had to fix this.

* * *

Stevie entered her brother's room to find him lying on his bed reading an old comic book. She had been trying to talk to him throughout the afternoon but as if he knew the conversation she wanted to have with him had become virtually untraceable.

"Hey buddy," She said sitting on the edge of his bed. "How's the book?"

"Nobody refers to these as books," he corrected not even looking up at her.

"Noted." She crossed her legs and made herself comfortable on his bed. "Enjoying being back at the farm? Personally, I miss the internet and general ability to contact the outside world…"

"What do want Stevie?" Jason put down his comic book and bore his eyes into his sisters. Stevie was nothing if not direct and so on the odd occasion that she rambled and refused to get to the point, it unsettled him.

"Just wanted to chat," she defended. She had not come in her looking for a fight but rather to get her brother's blessing to help their Mom.

"About?" he pressed.

"About the possibility of Mom dating. I know it's weird and something we've never really needed to think about before but she's given up a lot for us and I think this is one small thing we could do in return."

"Sure, I guess."

"You're actually agreeing this easily? You aren't at all hesitant about anything to do with Mom dating?" She asked him. This could not be the same boy that took a week longer than her to agree to their mother taking the Secretary job.

"I don't know. I mean it's weird right? Like, I want her to be happy but… well it's always just been us. She's never _dated_ before. It's just been the three of us. Team Adams. The Adams Family," Jason said more to himself than to his sister. He was till trying to wrap his mind around the idea that his mother, Elizabeth Adams, might want a boyfriend.

"I know. Trust me there is weirdness in this situation for me too but I'm relieved that she's found someone," Stevie admitted. "Like, I know it feels like it's years away but eventually we'll both be moved out and Mom won't be Secretary of State and she'll be alone. I don't want her to be by herself for the rest of time because as teens we thought Mom kissing some bloke was weird."

"I know, I know," Jason agreed. "Guess it'll be something we'll just have to get use to."

Stevie couldn't help but let out a smile at her brother's last comment. She loved Jason and she knew that he would have some difficulty with their mother dating. In fact, she was sure that this was not going to be the last conversation they had regarding their mother's relationship but at least he wasn't going to stop her.

"I'm glad because I stole this," Stevie confessed pulling out her mother's missing mobile phone. "I'm gonna text him and tell him to come to the farm. Force them to figure this out."

"Are you insane?" Jason accused as his eyes widened. "Mom will kill us. She'll use her CIA tricks and _kill us._ "

"Relaaaaax buddy. It'll all be fine," Stevie assured him as she typed out a text to Henry.

"I feel like our mother's pimp," bemoaned Jason trying to distance himself from the actions of his older sister. Agreeing to let his mother date was one thing but essentially setting her up and making it happen was a completely different one.

"There. Done." Stevie put her mothers phone back in her breast pocket and made sure it was out of sight before she turned back to her panicked brother. With a roll of her eyes she told him, "You are being a tad dramatic. We're not giving her a condom and telling her to have fun."

At her comment Jason went white and looked like her was going to throw up.

"Well, you need to leave my room so I can have some privacy to work on my will. As either Mom will kill us or after the image that you just forced in my mind I might just kill myself."

"Come on, give me a hug before I go," Stevie asked with her arms opened. "I'm proud of you bro."

"I do want Mom to be happy Stevie. I know that I complain a lot about the move and her job and maybe I should do that less but I-I'm not _heartless_ , I want my Mom to be happy," he admitted.

"I know and we are going to make sure that she is," Stevie told him as she headed out the door.

Stephanie McCord was either about to win some sort of daughter of the year award or her young life was going to be cut short.

* * *

Despite her best efforts to cheer herself up, for at the very least the benefit of her children, Elizabeth was still thoroughly depressed. How she'd managed to screw everything up in such a short amount of time was truly remarkable.

She's actually met a lovely man, something that her track record proved was a miracle in and of itself, and then within days she had totally ruined it. In fact, if he never spoke to her again then it would be more than what she deserved.

By trying to take caution and not hurt him or her children all she had managed to do was break her own heart.

Elizabeth's thoughts were then stalled by a hard knock on the door. However by the time she picked herself up off the couch to answer Stevie had beaten her there.

"Hey, Mom. Look who's here? This must be the Henry you've been talking about," her daughter announced.

At those words her whole body stopped.

 _Henry_.

Henry McCord, the man of her thoughts and desires, that she was sure she was not going to see any time soon and certainly not of his own volition was now standing at her front door.

"I can go if- I just got your text and thought… never mind, I'll get out of your hair," Henry said looking a mixture of angry and flustered.

"Wait, Henry. I didn't send you a text," Elizabeth corrected from across the room. It was of course right at that moment that she noticed how twitchy her daughter was acting. Like someone who was about to be caught out doing something they probably shouldn't have. "But Stevie might be able to clear this up for us."

Her daughter scratched her neck awkwardly, clearly trying to think of the best way to explain what she had done. "I just- you were so sad Mom and I talked it over with Jase and neither of us care if you date… okay, look I messaged Henry hoping that he would come and you could finally sort this whole thing out."

Elizabeth didn't really know what to say about regarding her daughter's actions. So, instead she let her actions speak and silently led Henry away from the front door and into the kitchen where they could talk with some level of privacy.

All she had wanted was to do right by this man and by both of their individual families but at the end of the day she just created a terrible muddle. She has to admit that she really no longer has any idea what the right thing to do could be. She quickly decided however that maybe for the first time in this situation the truth might be the way to go.

"I wanted to message you since it all happened," Elizabeth admitted. "Even if I was too chicken so instead my daughter did."

"It didn't seem like you were acting chicken on Tuesday," he pushed back. "On Tuesday it sounded as though I was nothing more than a distraction in your day."

"I-I didn't know what to say," Elizabeth said looking down, her eyes filling with tears and her voice breaking. "All I could think about all week was how selfish it was off me to include you in my life."

Henry's eyes widened with surprise and almost relief. It had been a while, a long while, since he had met someone that he liked as much as he liked Elizabeth Adams and she was afraid that the blonde had decided that a new relationship would be all too much. That her duty to her country would taint what he hoped was a budding romance between them and that the Secretary would want to just forget it all and start anew.

Well, he reminded himself, that had been what she wanted and what she had tried to do, but it seemingly hadn't worked and for that at least he was grateful.

"I don't know why you could possibly think that but whatever it is I am sure you are wrong," Henry disagreed "Elizabeth, I would have searched you out sooner, would have pushed you more if I had known that you were just stewing over here."

"I wasn't _stewing_ ," she disagreed weakly. Stewing was exactly what she had been doing but it was also something that she deplored and wasn't going to be admitting to it so freely. "And I am not wrong," she stated firmly letting go of his hand, which she had unknowingly grabbed at some point in their conversation. "People, more than you would think want me dead. There are dangerous people out there for whom I am a target, and my family by association. The idea that I would put you into that kind of line of fire…"

Elizabeth let her voice trail off unwilling and unable to tell him the whole truth. That she believed the person who last held her job was murdered, that she could be next, that the person to warn her was soon killed. She had a dangerous job and lived a dangerous life and it was already unfair that she asked that kind of thing of her children let alone any future relationship.

"That is just false."

"It's not though Henry. That is my point. I am fourth in line for the Presidency. You don't want to get mixed up in this."

"Elizabeth, stop!" Henry exclaimed, trying to no avail to get the blonds attention. He didn't want to speak harshly, didn't want to her children to overhear their conversation, but he needed to stop the blonde's mind from going further down that sink hole. "I do not care that you are the target of an insane minority. If anything it makes me not want to waste anymore time. I want you Elizabeth and I'm pretty sure that you want me too."

"Why are you entirely sensible and I'm like a huge mess," Elizabeth complained whilst managing a crooked and watery smile. "I've never been the girl that just becomes a jumble over a boy."

"I don't want to hear you call yourself a mess or a jumble. You are a smartest and most capable woman I know. You just live a very extraordinary life," Henry guaranteed her, this time reaching out and grabbing her hand.

"You are too sweet and I'm therefore finding it hard to blow past this with a comical retort," Elizabeth said looking down, her eyes filling with tears and her voice breaking.

Henry had enough though of talking and blowing past what they had. He stepped forward and placed his lips onto Elizabeth's and with that the world no longer seemed to exist as everything the blonde wanted was attached to her mouth. It was fiery and fierce and firm and everything that is DIA agent McCord is and at the same time it's soft and gentle and tender and everything that sweet Henry is and she wonders how one man can have so many layers and how many more there are for her to unravel. She can't think much past that though because as his tongue enters the Secretary's mouth all her thoughts are clouded by the scent, the touch, the existence of this person in front of her and she can't help but moan in delight. However he broke off the kiss as quickly as it had started and Elizabeth couldn't help but let out a small whimper.

"You can't live you life terrified that your job will have people come after you. You can't spend your life looking for shadows." Henry brushed Elizabeth's fringe behind her ear and kissed the blonde on the cheek. "Trust me, I'm a DIA agent. If someone tries to take me down it's because I've made my own enemies."

"Don't tell me that," Elizabeth said, horrified at the prospect that someone, _anyone_ would want to harm the man that had wormed his way into her heart in such an astonishingly short amount of time. She wasn't overreacting and she had a lot of work to do in order to make sure that they would all be safe from whoever saw Marsh as a threat but work she would. If she couldn't give up Henry and the last few days had proved that she really couldn't than she would just have to figure this whole mess out. "Alright, let's do this. I don't like the thought of hurting you and I'm pretty sure that eventually I will but… well I can't seem to walk away from this so if you're game then so am I."

And with that she pulled him in for another kiss.

* * *

End of Chapter.

I know what you are all thinking. I am absolutely trash and terrible for not updating this. I do however promise to try and update in around a week and not in another six months. Feel free to review this though and give me some inspiration to hurry the next installment along.

Also, this has not been Beta'd or anything so all the mistakes are mine.


	3. but I was late for the love of my life

**Chapter 3.**

 _ **But I was late for this, late for that, late for the love of my life**_

* * *

As Henry once again kissed his way down Elizabeth's neck he could not believe his luck.

He had woken up that morning so sure that he was never going to get to properly talk to Elizabeth again. That she would do nothing but cloak herself in DS Agents and be rid of him forever but instead here he was.

He'd spent the last two hour thoroughly kissing her on her living room couch.

"God, you are beautiful," Henry told her, causing a blush to rise on her face. "And I am the luckiest man in the world."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Henry's comments before placing her hand on both his cheeks, directing his mouth back to her own. "You need to stop. Words are distracting. Kissing is better."

Henry let out a small chuckle before he wrapped his arms around Elizabeth's waist and leaned down to kiss her. Once. Twice. And then on the third time he didn't pull back. Elizabeth opened her mouth slightly granted his tongue entry, not wanting any space between them. All week she'd been keeping him an arms length away and now she was determined to make up for the lost time. Henry who had only become more and more mesmerized by the kiss, pulled in by her honeyed scent almost fell of the couch when he felt her moan into his mouth.

Henry knew he would have to be the one to slow them down. So with no small struggle on his own behalf he pulled his mouth away from her without making any other move to physically separate them. "We… we need to stop. Talk about all this."

Elizabeth groaned but untangled herself from Henry nevertheless. "Yeah, I know," she begrudgingly agreed moving from the couch to the chair across from them.

"We don't have to do it so far from each other Elizabeth," Henry complained, already missing the comforting weight of her in his arms.

"I'm having a lot of trouble _not_ tearing of your clothes right now. In fact, the only thing stopping me are my children being upstairs so you know what… the space between us is _totally_ necessary," Elizabeth said, almost embarrassed at her own desire and seemingly inability to control herself. However, when Henry's mouth turned itself up into a smirk she quickly shut him down. "The longer you smirk, the longer it'll take until I join you back on that couch."

"Alright, alright," he said raising his arms in surrender. "Let's just finish our talk."

Elizabeth didn't know how to express what it was that she was feeling. In an attempt to protect him she had tried to gracefully exit and then when that hadn't worked she'd even tried an ungraceful exit but now she had nothing left than to pull him close to her and pray to the deity that they would all be okay. "I don't know what to say, Henry."

"Elizabeth, what do you want from this? That's all I need you to tell me," he told her with his eyes shinning kindly. "I know what I want. I want you. I want a relationship. I want to take you out on dates and to introduce you to my daughter. I want to meet your kids. Hell, I want to make out with you on more couches."

"I, I want all that too Henry. I know that I tried to push you away and I haven't dated much in the last decade, or even at all so I can't even promise you I'll be much of a girlfriend but I do want it," she promised him, her hands nervously fidgeting in her lap. "I want you so much. Mo- more than I should for someone I meet a week ago but there you have it. I'm as far into this as you are."

At those words Henry leapt up from the couch and all but pounced on the Secretary. He kissed her so deeply and so thoroughly that she quickly became dazed by the desire. His hand snaked under shirt caressing up her back and it would have continued if Elizabeth's oldest hadn't chosen that exact moment to walk down the stairs.

"Oh Jesus, Mom," Stevie exclaimed, shocked at the sight of her mother wrapped up in the arms of a man. "I gave you like hours of privacy."

If Stevie was embarrassed by the situation it was nothing compared to the deep shade of red that Elizabeth's cheeks had become. There were many odd situations that she had with her daughter but Stevie walking in on her kissing a male was not one she had expected. Henry leapt off of her and awkwardly introduced himself to Stevie.

"You must be Stevie. Elizabeth has told me all about you," he assured her, shaking her hand. "I am so pleased to meet you. Especially as it seems you engineered this whole situation."

"Please, it was nothing," Stevie assured him, still unsure as to what her Mom's exact thoughts were regarding her meddling ways. She thought it was just best to change the subject to why she had come downstairs to begin with. "I just came down to start cooking dinner."

At those words Henry looked down at his watch surprised by the time. As much as he wanted to curl back up on the couch with Elizabeth his daughter was going to be home from her friends in a few hours and he really needed to starting the long drive back. "I didn't realize it had gotten quite so late in the day."

"What? Got a hot date back in D.C?" Elizabeth joked, hoping the answer was anything but the affirmative.

"With my daughter, yes," he confirmed, looking almost disappointed. He loved his daughter and the loss of his wife had really taught him to treasure any time they had together but he still really, really didn't want to leave Elizabeth's side so soon after getting together. "I hate to do this but I really need to leave. She'll be home in the next few hours and wondering where I am."

"No, no of course," Elizabeth assured him picking his coat up off the couch and handing it to him as he grabbed his messenger bag. She led him to the door already missing his presence. God, when had she become this high school girl who couldn't stop thinking about a boy. "Message me when you get home?"

"How about I do you one better and call you?" he said kissing her on the cheek. He couldn't think of a better way to spend his evening if he couldn't actually be in the same place as her.

"Sounds perfect," she agreed giving him one last kiss before forcing him out the door. She turned around and shut the door unable to watch him drive away. Walking toward her daughter in the kitchen she plainly ignored the teasing look on Stevie's face.

"Stop that look on your face or I will reverse my decision about not grounding you for stealing my phone and inappropriately inserting yourself into my love life," Elizabeth warned although with admittedly no sting to her words. Elizabeth knew that there was no chance she could possibly be mad that her daughter pushed her towards such a lovely man.

"What look? I'm not giving you a look," Stevie falsely assured her. "This is just the face I make when I'm cooking dinner."

"Sure it is," Elizabeth retorted, rolling her eyes at her daughter clear lie. "Fine. What do you want to know?"

"I don't have questions," Stevie said before adding. "Not seeing as I saw everything that I needed to know."

"Oh hush," Elizabeth said, walking behind her daughter and giving her a hug. "So there is nothing you want to talk about because this is a big change? This isn't something the Adams family has ever done and I won't pursue this unless you and your brother are really sure about it all as well."

Stevie's heart melted slightly at her mother's concern for her. "Look, he's your son so by all means talk to Jase and tell him the situation but I talked to him before I sent that text and he was as on board as you could expect from a 13 year old. And as for me… well I just want you to be happy and you seem to really like this guy. So go ahead and date him. Go follow your bliss."

"I really do have the world's best children," Elizabeth exclaimed as she stole the recipe out of her daughter's hand excited to find out what they'd be having for dinner.

God, _she_ was _really_ the luckiest woman in the world.

* * *

As Henry pulled into his driveway he was relieved to find that he'd it home before his daughter.

He really wasn't sure how she would react to him dating. It had mainly just been the two of them for her whole life. He had dated here and there but very few seriously and none that had actually met Alison. He already knew that his relationship with Elizabeth was different. She was smart, beautiful, and kindhearted; everything that he had ever wanted in a woman and a great role model for his young daughter.

So if he was going to tell Alison about Elizabeth then he was going to do everything he could to stack the odds in his favor and that included doing so over a private dinner of all his daughter's favourite foods. It was the very least that he could do if he was going to change something fundamental about their lives.

He had just placed the homemade pizzas in the oven when his daughter came charging through the front door, arms loaded with bags from the nearby craft store. His daughter was a budding fashion designer and there was barely a day that passed where she wasn't sewing material together.

"Hey Dad," she called out as she dropped hers along the hallway before joining him in the kitchen. She smiled and took a deep smell when she saw noticed the pizzas in the oven. "Oh, my favourite. What's the occasion?"

"No occasion," he assured her, hope filling his heart that everything would be okay. "I just wanted to chat."

"Well that's clearly code for 'I have big news and I'm nervous about telling my beautiful daughter'," Alison responded rolling her eyes at her just how transparent her father was. They never had secrets from each other; they had never really needed to with it just being the two of them so she always knew when he wasn't telling her the whole truth. "Can't you just tell me now? I was hoping to really lock myself in the back room tonight and make some headway on this dress."

"I just wanted to let you know that I've begun to see someone," he told her with no preamble. If she wanted to be told straight out then that's exactly what he would do. "I really like her and it's going to be something really serious I hope so I felt you deserved to know."

"Oh." Ali faltered for a moment at this news. There was a lot of things she was expecting her father to say; that he was going to be working more in the foreseeable future or that he had to go away for a conference and she'd be home alone for the week. Anything but this.

She didn't know what to think either. It wasn't that she thought her father was a monk. He had been on dates in the past but she hadn't met any of them and he had never told her they could be serious. When it came down to the crunch, it had always just been the two of them against the world and she wasn't sure if she was keen on adding a third. She knew that she really should give her father a chance though. "Tell me about her."

"She's very nice," Henry told her. "I met her at work and she's unbelievably intelligent."

Ali couldn't help but feel like her father was being evasive. "What's her name?"

"Uh, Elizabeth," Henry told her but no longer able to look her in they eyes. As he began to wipe down the kitchen counter he added, "Elizabeth Adams."

"Why does that name…"? Ali stopped in her tracks as she realized just whom her father was talking about. "You're dating _the Secretary of State_?"

This could not be happening. It just couldn't. Her father could not be doing this to them. Because there was a big difference in her father adding a third person into their lives and completing upturning what stability she had by dating a political celebrity. "Is our life not complicated enough?" she snapped.

"You'll really like her Ali and I promise you won't be as affected as you think," he said desperately trying to get her on side. There were already enough complications in the relationship and the last thing he needed was his daughter trying to sabotage it. "This could be a really good thing."

"How? Paparazzi and security guards follow her. Everything that we do will be news. Not to mention when people at school will find out and then I'm hounded by them," Ali complained, coming up with reason after reason why she didn't want this. "It's hard enough to live a normal life with you and your secret government work, the last thing I need is the Secretary of State for a step mother."

"Okay, relax Alison," he reassured her firmly. "No one is talking marriage and nor are we anywhere near that. We really like each other and want to see where this might go. I was hoping for your support but I'm not looking for your permission."

"God, then why even tell me?" Ali muttered darkly, an angry flame appearing in her eyes. It startled him for moment, reminding him so much of her mother and the life that had been cut too short. "Why not just let me find out when you're on the front page of People?" With that final remark she collected her things and began the march towards the back room.

"I'll call out when dinner is ready," Henry called out after his rapidly disappearing daughter.

"I'm not hungry," she yelled back, punctuating her statement with the slam of her bedroom door.

Henry was disappointed by how their conversation had gone. It wasn't that he had really expected his daughter to be over the moon. She was a 15 year old that hated change and liked the time she got to spend with her only parent but he had never expected it to go quite that badly. Her concerns were ligament though; there was a lot of media that came along with Elizabeth and he hadn't properly considered what this might mean for his daughter.

But he still believed that the benefits of a relationship with Elizabeth were worth the trouble and he was still hopeful that when Alison finally got to meet the Secretary she would change her tune. However until that time came he knew he'd need to tread carefully and keep talking to his daughter.

She deserved everything he could give her. He just hoped that she'd accept the gift that was Elizabeth.

Needing the reassurance of hearing her voice, he dialed Elizabeth number glad when she answered after just the second ring.

"Henry," she said breathless as though she has sped to the phone. He smiled at the thought that she was just as happy to hear from him and he was to call her. "I'm really glad you called."

"How was your dinner?" he asked. "I can't believe you have a child that cooks."

"Yeah, well at a certain point when your mother can't cook it becomes a much needed survival skill," Elizabeth laughed. Henry found the sound intoxicating. He needed more of it always.

"I miss you already," Henry told her.

Elizabeth gasped on her end of the line, wishing more than anything that Henry hadn't had to rush off earlier that evening. "I miss you too. The kids and I just got back to D.C so I'll be in the office tomorrow if you are free for lunch?"

Henry was very pleased at the offer. "I would love that Elizabeth. How did it go talking to Jase?"

"I haven't done that yet. I wanted to do it when we were alone and between dinner and trying to get back here at a decent hour I haven't had the chance," she informed him. "Did you talk to Alison?"

"Yeah, I did," he said, realizing his mistake at bringing this all up to begin with. "She is a tiny bit hesitant but nothing that can't be cured by getting to know each other."

This was not what Elizabeth wanted to hear. Too caught up in her own doubts and blinded by her daughter exuberant support, Elizabeth admittedly hadn't given much thought to how Alison would react to the buddy relationship of her father's. She prayed that Henry was right and that once the two women met the young girl's fears would be allayed. "I'm sure you're right. How about we discuss when that might be tomorrow at lunch?"

"Sounds like a plan," Henry agreed, surprised at just how on board Elizabeth was with pushing their relationship forward when just 24 hours ago she was determined to end them. "I should let you get some sleep."

"Yeah, I have like 5 reports to read. All of them telling me in great detail how exactly the end of the world will come." The amount of reports that needed to be read and signed off on was the one part of Elizabeth's job that she did not appreciate. She knew that Marsh often didn't read them thoroughly or often delegated it to Nadine but Elizabeth didn't want to be that kind of leader. She wanted to do her job well and if that meant she read about how too much grain was going to cause flash fires then that was just going to have to be what she did.

"What peaceful bedtime reading," he laughed. "Meanwhile, I'll just be here marking assignments."

She joined him in his laughter. "Living the dream, baby."

It was the first time that either of them had used a term of endearment and Henry really liked it. He like Elizabeth calling him 'baby', he wanted to use them in return. It was yet just another of how lucky he was to find this incredible woman at this stage in their lives. Unfortunately, there silent enjoyment of each other was coming to a close for the evening. "Urgh, I have the White House on the other line so I'm gonna have to go Henry, but I'll see you tomorrow right?"

"Yes, yes, it's fine. Go," assured Henry. "Text me later about what time you want me for lunch."

Elizabeth wished him a quick goodbye before hanging up and getting ready to head into her office for yet another late night.

* * *

Elizabeth needed her lunchtime date to arrive and she needed him to arrive quickly. If she spent yet another minute going over her mind numbingly boring speech to the World Affairs Committee then she might take some sort of drastic action and fire everyone who worked for her.

The evening before she had been enjoying her phone call with Henry when Russell Jackson called her into the White House for an international crisis that really could have waited until the next morning. Just because he saw no reason to go home each night it didn't mean that she didn't enjoy the few she could get some interrupted family time or better yet, sleep. Her late night in conjunction with a speech that she really didn't like had soured her mood making her relatively hostile to her staff. Nor did it help that she was still suspicious of Nadine and her loyalties, having ordered Blake to thoroughly investigate her.

Elizabeth was getting desperate for a quick exit from her painful meeting when Henry finally showed up carrying two cartons of Chinese food. She physically exhaled and she all but leapt from the door trying to suppress the large grin that she burgeoning from her mouth less she seem anything other than professional. Once she was away from the prying eyes of her staff she grabbed Henry's free hand in her own and led him into her office then shutting the door behind them.

She took the bag from his arms depositing it on the table in front of her couch before wrapping her arm around Henry and kissing him on the lips. Their kisses were a sweet relief after nothing short of a hellish 12 hours and she relished the comfort of being back in his arms. She leant in to kiss him again, softly at first, and then passionately, desperately, and she wove her fingers through his hair, holding on to him and this moment with all her might, until the need for oxygen became too great, and they reluctantly pulled apart.

"I could get use to greetings like that," Henry joked, a smile appearing on his face. He was so taken with this woman and he wanted nothing more than to stand like this for hours just looking into each other's eyes. "It's kind of my ideal way to start a lunch break."

"Well, I have to give you something for getting me out of that meeting _and_ for feeding me. Those are two of the quickest ways to my heart," she joked. She broke away from his arms and led him over to the couch. He then picked up the food containers handing one to her as he began opening up her own. "Oh, you got my favourite dumplings. How ever did you know?"

"I can't just give away my sources," Henry defended.

"I really need to give Blake a raise," Elizabeth noted, clear as to who Henry's source would be. Her assistant really was amazing at his job. She was sure there wasn't anything he didn't know about her or that he couldn't figure out. How had she managed to make it her whole adult life without him organizing everything in her wake? "Anyway, tell me more about how it went with Alison?"

"It was fine, really. She just spent the night working on a dress while she digested the news. It just wasn't news that she was expecting but as soon as you two meet it'll be water under the bridge." He tucked a stray piece of hair behind Elizabeth's ear as he deliberately downplayed his daughter's reaction. He knew Alison and he was sure that she just needed some extra time to get use to such a change. So he didn't see a reason in worrying Elizabeth, when he was definite that his daughter's attitude would be a temporary one.

"Well, when can we meet? I think sooner rather than later is best," Elizabeth told him. "I'm much better in person than by research and maybe once she meets me than we can start to do more family things."

"I'd love that but you're the one that Secretary of State," he smiled. "Whenever you can be free, I'll make sure Ali and I are available."

"How about tomorrow?" Elizabeth asked. "I know it's soon but I'd really like to see you again before I fly off for the World Affairs Committee on Thursday and there's just no way I will be getting out of prep on Wednesday. I'll be lucky to get home and say goodbye to the kids."

Henry was touched by just how much Elizabeth seemed to want to meet his daughter and to integrate their lives together, especially as she was someone with such limited free time and two children of her own. For someone who hadn't dated, even casually, for such a long period of time and was afraid that she would mess it up Elizabeth was proving to be a natural.

"I would love that. How about we aim for a 7.30 dinner and you can text me if you get held up at the office?" he asked.

Elizabeth nodded in assent and leant over to kiss Henry determined to make the most of the short time they had together for lunch.

* * *

It had taken all kinds of pleading and maneuvering to convince her DS agents that she could have dinner at Henry's house. It was a constant battle they had against each other where she increasingly putting herself in public situations or in new buildings and they scrambled to secure the place.

And as she stood at his door, just seconds away from spending hours with him, she was glad that her agents had worked it out. There was not much she wanted more than to spend a cozy evening away from the office and in the arms of Henry as she got to know his daughter.

"Hey," Henry said, lighting up when he saw who was at the door. He took her coat of her as he continued; "It is _so_ good to have you here."

"It's so good to _be_ here," Elizabeth replied kissing him on the cheek. She wanted more of course; fancied pinning him against the hallway door and pressing their lips together until they'd had their fill but she knew that with his daughter in the other room it was too big of a risk.

"Although, there has been one slight change in plans," Henry warned, linking their arms and leading them into the kitchen. "An old professor of mine turned up, kind of inviting himself for dinner. I'm really sorry for not telling you but there really was not time."

Although slightly disappointed that the night was not going to be as relaxing as she'd initially hoped, if this person was important to Henry than she could suck it up and be polite to the other guest. "It's alright Henry. I wished you'd have told me to that I could have worked up a second wind but it really doesn't matter."

As they both entered the kitchen she could see a young brunette girl sitting on the kitchen bench laughing at something the old professor was saying. "I can't believe you gave Dad a B. He's never told me about this."

"Well, it was during a harder time. I believe it was because he was busy with a pregnant wife who commanded much of his attention," he informed her.

The last comment stopped Ali and her father in their tracks. "You knew Mom," Ali said, a smile overtaking her face. "Dad didn't tell me you knew Mom."

Ever since Alison was old enough to understand why she didn't have a mother like every other girl her age, she was obsessed by those who had known her. She used to spend hours on a Sunday afternoon curled up next to her Grandmother and she told her story after story about her Mom. Other than pictures it was as close as Alison could get to the mother she'd never gotten to talk to.

"I certainly did young one and she was as beautiful as you are now," Father Laurent assured her before placing his attention on Henry, "But I am afraid that we are now being quite rude to our new guest."

At those words Alison demeanor changed. She didn't want to meet her father's new girlfriend but rather she preferred the idea of talking about her mother to someone who knew her. "Hi," Alison said coolly not really looking any of them in the eye.

In an attempt to broker peace Father Laurent introduced himself. "You must the great Elizabeth. Henry has not stopped talking about you all afternoon."

Henry blushed at the truth of those words. He really had talked about Elizabeth since his old teacher arrived. Why would he not though? He was starting a relationship with the smartest, kindest and most beautiful woman in all of Washington D.C. He deserved to brag about just how lucky he was.

"I haven't _only_ talked about that," Henry defended. He might be comfortable admitting that he was completely smitten with the Secretary but wasn't sure how she felt over the matter and had no intention of scaring her off. At the eye roll of his daughter Henry injected before anyone else could, " _Moving on,_ how about you tell us about your day Ali?"

"Not much to say," she said getting off the counter and creating a protective distance between her and Elizabeth. "I caught the bus, I learnt stuff, and I came home. Pretty text book experience."

Henry was not sure what to do about his daughter. Although she was 15 and therefore she exhaled sarcasm with every breathe, it was a rarity for this to truly turn snarky or impolite. He honestly thought that this dinner would mend a bridge between her and Elizabeth but his daughter seemed like she was going to be heading down the road of burning it to the ground.

"I think my son goes to the same school as you," Elizabeth commented. "I chose it because I heard great things about the teachers, not that they are the biggest fan of me."

"Alison really likes it there," Henry replied. "They have a lot of extra curricular activities that she's a part of."

Alison just rolled her eyes and started to set the table. "How long until dinner's ready?" she asked as she finished the task.

"Ten minutes," he said firmly.

"Fine. I'm going to make sure that I have everything set for school tomorrow," she said as she headed for her bedroom.

Once she was there Henry turned to Elizabeth and Father Laurent and began to apologize. "I am so very sorry. I do not know what has gotten into that girl. Usually, she is everything sweet and kind and without the bad attitude."

"It is fine Henry," the Father assured him. "It is good now and then for children to push their parents."

Elizabeth nodded in agreement although with a lack of enthusiasm that betrayed her true thoughts.

"Either way," Henry interjected, "She'll be apologizing when she comes back out that's for sure."

"Why don't you go and talk to her before dinner," Laurent suggested. "I'll entertain the Secretary. There might be more going on with young Alison than you realize."

Henry didn't want to be a bad host and leave Elizabeth with someone she didn't know but he desperately wanted to bridge this gap with his daughter. They had always been a strong team and she deserved to be heard out and talked to with kindness. When Elizabeth gave him a discreet nod and a smile he began the walk to his daughter's room.

Once he was out of earshot Laurent turned to Elizabeth. "There is something I would like to discuss with you, Madam."

"Oh," Elizabeth squeaked surprised. Father Laurent had the tone of voice of someone who was about to turn things very professional, something that she had hoped she would be able to escape when spending the evening with Henry. "Sure. What is it?"

"Have you heard what's going on in West Africa?" he asked. As much as she hated to feel like she or her connection to Henry was being used she knew that she would need to remain polite to this man.

"There was a coup six months ago. They are now closing any schools that they feel demonstrate a Western education," Elizabeth informed him.

"That is just the beginning," he warned. "They who began the coup are now in the midst of a campaign of ethnic cleansing."

She couldn't hide the look of shock from her face. "That I have not heard. I have people monitoring the situation and they are meant to come to me well before anything like that is at risk."

"Well, perhaps they do not recognize the signs of an oncoming genocide but I promise you they are planning their attack as we sit here. They plan to come through and clean out my hometown in a matter of days," he implored. "Please, when you go to your office tomorrow, look into this. Help my people. They need you."

Elizabeth was just about to reassure him that she would get a full briefing on the issue tomorrow when she was interrupted by the increasingly loud voices of Henry and Alison.

* * *

"Do you mind tell me what that was all about out there?" Henry asked his daughter as he entered her bedroom.

Alison didn't know how to explain how she felt. She didn't have the words to tell him that even though she had never met her, never even had a conversation with her; she ached for her mother like a missing limb. That although Alison had yearned for her when she was little, now that she was in high school her absence had become painfully obvious. But she didn't know how to tell her Dad this. And how to tell him without making him feeling like he wasn't enough or a great Dad, or that she didn't want him to be happy – because she did; she wanted all those things. It was just that she wanted her mother more.

"I don't know," Alison muttered, unable to look her father in the eyes.

"Well, we better figure it out because when you go out there for dinner you'll be apologizing to our guests," Henry informed her.

The last thing Alison wanted to do was apologize. She might have been a bit unnecessarily snarky but she wasn't going to say sorry and make amends with the woman who wanted to replace her mother. "Yeah, like that'll be happening. Just stay disappointed and leave me alone, Dad."

"You are better than this, Ali," he told her. "I really want to believe that you are better than these childish antics."

"Go Dad," Alison said, her voice getting louder and louder. "Go out to the dining room and spend the evening with your new girlfriend and your new family. I'll just stay here and look at photo's of my _actual_ Mom. _"_

Henry faltered at this. He hadn't expected this to be the issue. He loved Alison's mother from the moment he met her and that had only grown the longer that he had his daughter but she wasn't around any more and she wasn't coming back. His life didn't get to be put on hold for nothing but a memory or a 'what could have been'. "Ali, Elizabeth is never going to replace your Mom but she is going to be a big part of our lives."

Henry would have said more but he was pulled from the conversation by a commotion in the dining room that sounded suspiciously like Elizabeth leaving. He rushed out of his daughter's bedroom, meeting Elizabeth in the hallway as she was putting on her coat. "Where are you going?"

"Look, Henry, tonight has not gone as planned so I think we should end it before something else terrible happen," Elizabeth said motioning to her DS agents that they would be leaving. "We'll try this whole 'meet the family' thing another night."

"Come on, give Alison another chance," Henry said desperately. He did not want the evening to end like this.

"Henry, I really like you but I've had a long few days and I'm sitting there hearing your daughter tell you she hates me while your old professor lobbies me as MSec," Elizabeth explained. She leant forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow alright."

And with that Elizabeth and her cavalry departed.

* * *

This was originally like a 9,000 word chapter but I decided to split it into two chapters. So the next chapter is already half written which you should all be glad about because it means I'll actually update again next week.

Love to you all. And please review both because it was my birthday when I finished this and so that you can placate my psychologically damaging need for approval.


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